Does Catfish Help Cholesterol?

by Jessica Bruso

Catfish are among the more commonly eaten fish in the U.S.

Fish are a healthy option for lean protein and although catfish are high in cholesterol, they contain polyunsaturated fatty acids that have a cholesterol lowering affect. A healthy cholesterol level is below below 200 milligrams per deciliter. To keep your cholesterol within a healthy range, it is important to eat a balance diet high in fruits, vegetables and other whole foods. Eating foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as catfish, may help manage your cholesterol levels.

Essential Fatty Acids

Catfish contains omega-3 fats and omega-6 polyunsaturated fats, which are essential for good health. It is recommended that you consume 1 gram of omega-3 fats each day for heart health and that you get between 5 and 10 percent of your calories from omega-6 fatty acids. The typical American diet provides too many omega-6 fats compared to omega-3 fats, which may increase your risk for inflammatory diseases. A 4-to-1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats or lower provides health benefits, and at a ratio of 10-to-1, adverse health effects become more likely, notes a study published in October 2002 in "Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy."

Omega-6 Fats and Cholesterol

Catfish contain a relatively high amount of omega-6 fats, at 65 milligrams per 3-ounce serving. These fats help to lower your LDL, or bad cholesterol, while improving your ratio of HDL, or good cholesterol, to LDL cholesterol, notes a 2009 article published in "Circulation." The higher your ratio of HDL cholesterol to LDL cholesterol, the better for reducing your risk for heart disease.

Omega-3 Fats and Cholesterol

Catfish also contain 150 to 200 milligrams of omega-3 fats in a 3-ounce serving. These fats can also affect cholesterol, but not always in a consistent way. Consuming these fats may lower your triglyceride levels and increase your HDL cholesterol, but they may also increase your LDL cholesterol, according to a July 2004 article in "American Family Physician."

Considerations

If you are at risk for inflammatory diseases or blood clots, you don't want to consume more than the recommended amounts of omega-6 fats, as they may increase the risk for these conditions when consumed in large amounts, especially if you do not consume many omega-3 fats. However, omega-6 fats are still preferable to saturated fat when it comes to heart health. Varying the type of fish you consume and including fish higher in omega-3 fats, like salmon, as well as those that have lower levels of omega-3 fats, like catfish, can help you maintain the proper balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fats.

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About the Author

Based in Massachusetts, Jessica Bruso has been writing since 2008. She holds a master of science degree in food policy and applied nutrition and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations, both from Tufts University.

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